ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Thai Short Films Challenge Military Rule and Conservative Ideologies at 2017 Festival

opinion-review · 2026-04-20

From 29 August to 10 September 2017, the Bangkok Art and Culture Center hosted the Thai Short Film and Video Festival, featuring over 600 submissions that often critiqued military coups and conservative values. Organized by the Thai Film Foundation since 1997, this annual event spotlighted a new wave of filmmakers, predominantly university students, who utilize short films as a means of resistance. Among the entries, Patipol Teekayuwat's award-winning 'Bangkok Dystopia' portrays a teenage boy meeting a sex worker during the 2014 coup's curfew, using handheld techniques to express societal anguish. Conversely, Thanakrit Duangmaneeporn's 'Everybody's Fine' offers a stark depiction of a family from Chiang Rai grappling with the aftermath of the 2006 coup. In a landscape where many artists support military regimes, short films have emerged as a vital platform for critical dialogue, despite the oppressive atmosphere leading to self-censorship and violence against creatives.

Key facts

  • The Thai Short Film and Video Festival ran from 29 August to 10 September 2017 at the Bangkok Art and Culture Center.
  • Over 600 films were entered for competition in the festival's latest installment.
  • Patipol Teekayuwat directed the prize-winning film 'Bangkok Dystopia' (2017), set during the 2014 coup d'état.
  • Thanakrit Duangmaneeporn directed 'Everybody's Fine' (2017), depicting a family from Chiang Rai province affected by the 2006 coup.
  • Thailand has experienced 12 successful military coups since becoming a constitutional monarchy in 1932, with the most recent in 2014.
  • Many Thai contemporary artists have supported conservative ideologies and military juntas, contrary to earlier revolutionary roles.
  • The military imposes curfews, monitors art exhibitions, and issues warnings, leading to self-censorship and imprisonment of artists.
  • Short films have gained popularity among Thai university students since 2000 as a form of artistic and political expression.

Entities

Artists

  • Patipol Teekayuwat
  • Thanakrit Duangmaneeporn
  • Walter Benjamin
  • Albert Camus
  • Prabda Yoon

Institutions

  • Thai Film Foundation
  • Bangkok Art and Culture Center
  • People's Democratic Reform Committee
  • ArtReview Asia

Locations

  • Thailand
  • Bangkok
  • Chiang Rai
  • Switzerland

Sources